it gave the romney campaign, a republican base just a jolt of energy they all badly needed. it probably did change it somewhat, but what we don't know is whether it's changed it back to where we thought it would be, which is a pretty close race to the end or whether it's really put governor romney in a position to overtake the president. >> is it back to a close race, but the president has these battleground state advantages or did it really throw the map up. that's what we don't know. >> we had a couple of days of gallup debate, it will be interesting to see some of those state polls as they come along. i think those races were all tightening before the debate. >> there was some evidence that everything was moving back. >> which you would expect in a race like this. i think that probably has accelerated that. i would say however that i think that the obama people have made a very strange choice post debate, to some out calling romney a lair, in essence with a sour grapes. i don't think that's going to help them with independents and it's not going to work in the debate itse